Vietnamese-Style Meatballs with Chili Sauce
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My husband calls these Vietnamese-style meatballs “flavor bombs.” Serve them over rice for a quick weeknight dinner.
My husband calls these Vietnamese-style meatballs with a deliciously bright and pungent sauce “flavor bombs” (which, by the way, is a good thing). They are flavored with fish sauce and soy sauce—two umami-rich condiments commonly used in Vietnamese cooking—along with ginger, lime, spicy Sambal Oelek (not a traditional Vietnamese ingredient, but the spicy, garlicky flavor works so well here), and fresh herbs. They practically explode with flavor. I love them over rice, but they are also delicious wrapped in lettuce cups or served over rice noodles. Be judicious with the chili sauce—a little goes a long way.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Vietnamese-Style Meatballs
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, scallions, lime zest, cilantro, and mint.
Whisk to combine.
Add the beef, pork, and panko.
Using your hands, mix until evenly combined.
Roll the mixture into golf ball-sized balls and arrange on an unlined baking sheet. The mixture will be a bit sticky; dampen your hands every so often while rolling the meatballs if necessary.
Bake for 25 minutes, flipping once with a metal spatula halfway through the cooking time, until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.
Meanwhile, make the sauce by whisking all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Be sure the sugar is completely dissolved and not stuck to the bottom of the bowl.
Serve the meatballs drizzled with the sauce and sprinkled with scallions, cilantro, mint, and peanuts.
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Vietnamese-Style Meatballs with Chili Sauce
My husband calls these Vietnamese-style meatballs “flavor bombs.” Serve them over rice for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger (see note)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 scallions, finely chopped (about ¼ cup), plus a few more for serving
- 2 teaspoons lime zest, from 2 limes
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for serving
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus more for serving
- ¾ lb 85% lean ground beef
- ¾ lb ground pork
- 1 cup panko
- ½ cup chopped unsalted peanuts, for serving
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Asian chili sauce, such as Sambal Oelek, or Asian chili garlic sauce (available in Asian aisle of most supermarkets)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- ¼ cup lime juice, from 2 to 3 limes
- ¼ cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, scallions, lime zest, cilantro, and mint. Whisk to combine. Add the beef, pork, and panko. Using your hands, mix until evenly combined. Roll the mixture into golf ball-sized balls and arrange on an unlined baking sheet. The mixture will be a bit sticky; dampen your hands every so often while rolling the meatballs if necessary. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping once with a metal spatula halfway through the cooking time, until the meatballs are browned and cooked through. (If the meatballs stick a bit to the pan, simply slide the metal spatula underneath them and they should release.)
- Meanwhile make the sauce by whisking all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Be sure the sugar is completely dissolved and not stuck to the bottom of the bowl. Taste and add more chili sauce if desired.
- Serve the meatballs drizzled with the sauce and sprinkled with scallions, cilantro, mint, and peanuts. (Be judicious with the sauce; it's very strong in flavor.)
- Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
- Make Ahead: The meatballs can be made completely ahead of time and refrigerated in a tightly sealed container for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve them, reheat them in the microwave.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 488
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Sugar: 11 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Sodium: 2046 mg
- Cholesterol: 141 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I made this a couple nights ago and the meatballs were so delicious and flavorful (even without the sauce). My one year old couldn’t get enough of it. I will definitely be making this again.
Hi Jenn, I am serving these to my toddler so can’t use anything with heat. How should I tweak the sauce to make it kid-friendly? Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth, You could just omit the sauce from your toddler’s portion. The meatballs have plenty of flavor in and of themselves. Enjoy!
These meatballs look fantastic and I really want to try them out, but I have a problem… I absolutely cannot stand cilantro, the moment I taste it I have to spit it out; it’s just too strong for my liking. Is there any way to substitute the cilantro or can I omit it without losing much of the flavour?
Hi Sam, No worries – you can use 2 tablespoons basil or just leave it out.
Made this recipe for a dinner party and everyone was so excited to see it/hear what it was. Rave reviews! The meatballs were soft, fragrant, flavorful and the sauce gave it that extra special touch/punch of flavor. Served it with Jenn’s Cauliflower Stir Fried Rice recipe which everyone was equally excited to see and try and loved just a much. Neat to see and hear everyone’s excitement and interest as they ate and commented about how good it was. Extra Bonus: My husband loved his “flavor bowl” of leftover meatballs and cauli rice the next day. Thought he died and went to heaven. Thanks, Jenn!
We enjoyed this recipe…it’s very tasty. If you like the taste of a soy sauce & washbi type sauce, you will like this chili/soy sauce. I served the meatballs over a store bought sticky rice and made stir fry broccoli. Also served with pickled ginger.
Your husband is right; these are a flavor bomb! One bite and my husband said “Company dish.” Outstanding. Do you think it would be okay to use these as an appetizer? Good luck on your book tour!
Glad you enjoyed these and, yes, you can definitely serve these as an appetizer!
I forgot to add the 5 stars – haven’t had a recipe from you yet that didn’t rate at least 5. 😊
Hi Jenn
Just wanted to say these meatballs have become another family favourite along with everything else I have tried on your site. My husband thought we should have them at least twice a week lol. Thank you for sharing your expertise. My new cookbook just arrived and I am ready to dive in and start trying the recipes. I have a large cooking family and I am now set on what to get them for gifts this year. I am sure it will become a best seller! If you have a stop in Vancouver that would be wonderful!
Colleen
The meatballs came out moist and delicious. I paired mine with vermicelli (rice) noodles.
Great meatballs and sauce – thanks. I served them on top of jasmine rice, and had an accompanying Vietnamese style salad. Australia has some wonderful Vietnamese grocery stores:)